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What you buy tells manufacturers what you want.

Consuming is a political activity -it drives the economy and inspires policy-, so it should be done responsibly. Shopping greener is possible, but it doesn't involve simply switching purchases to "green" products. That's because even that cute organic cotton tee-shirt has an environmental footprint (you need water to grow cotton and its transportation emits greenhouse gases). Therefore, a greener way to shop is to buy less.


It's hard because thanks to the relentless messages from advertisers we equate shopping and spending money with entertainment. Buying stuff is a national pastime. It's an obsession. (This blogger had an epiphany when she realized she was spending more and more time thinking about new things to buy. "The idea of adding more started to consume my thoughts, " she writes.) But let's not forget that it’s put us in a recession and, more relevantly to this blog, it's created tons of waste, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Some Americans rebelled. In the 1990s, activists came up with Buy Nothing Day (In the United States, it’s on Black Friday), zombie mall walks and other activities. But you can shop better any day of the year by taking a second to consider the environmental impact of the entire life of a product from its manufacturing, to its use and its disposal and by  following the 3 Rs mantra:

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Reduce is probably the most important of the three. It's also called "pre-cycling" in green jargon. It means 1) buy products with less or no packaging, and 2) Buy less products. In other word, pre-cycle, so you won't have to recycle.

·         Avoid prepared food, which comes in a lot of packaging.

·         Eschew individually-wrapped items (have you seen anything as silly as individually-wrapped rolls of toilet paper?).

·         Buy in bulk; buy concentrated liquids.

·         Buy from the deli/bakery counter, they tend to use less packaging when wrapping meats and cheeses.  

·         Go naked.  Many products don't need to be carried out in bags. You don't need a plastic bag for one CD or one cucumber.

·         Review the list of questions (below) before you buy anything.

·         Translate the price tag into work hours. Do you really want to buy a dress that you’ll have to work a full work day to pay off.

·         Think of things you could be doing instead of roaming the mall/Internet (movies, park, dinner with friends, reading, etc.).

Reuse. Eschew disposable items; be prepared with non-disposal alternatives; buy second-hand; and extend the lives of our objects. This blogger has an entertaining video of all the reusable stuff he carries in his backpack.

·         Carry reusable bags in your car and train yourself to remember to take them out, not just at the supermarket but also every store you set foot in.

·         At the coffee shop, bring your own cup or ask for a reusable cup.

·         Avoid disposables like paper napkins.

·         Carry a reusable water bottle.

·         Take care of your clothes by washing them inside out in cold water, hanging them to dry, and mending holes. Wash wool sweaters by hand and lay them flat to dry on a towel. Keep moths away with pieces of cedar (not moth balls).

·         Shop at second-hand stores.

·         Shop in your own closet and rediscover forgotten outfits.

·         Give yourself a moratorium (one week, one month, or one year) on buying new clothes.

Recycle. Recycling is taking off in El Paso, which has a 85% residential recycling rate. We'll be recycling all plastics by the end of the year. But for now, make sure the stuff you buy is recyclable. For plastics, that means looking for a 1 or a 2 in a triangle at the bottom of the product. For a list of recyclable products and addresses of collection stations that take yard waste and toxic waste, go here and here.

Finally, here's a great list of questions to ask yourself before you buy anything (inspired by www.care2.com)

·         Do I need this?

·         Do I already have something that serves the same purpose?

·         Can I borrow one instead of buying new? Would someone be willing to split the cost and share this with me?  

·         Can I make something that will serve the same purpose?

·         Can I buy a used one?

·         Can I buy or commission one made locally? Can I buy one that was made with environmentally responsible materials? Can I buy one that’s recyclable?

·         Can I buy one that serves more than one purpose?

·         Can I get something human powered instead of gas or electric?

·         If I don’t buy it, will I still pine for it in a week? 

When in doubt, put it back on the rack and slowly back away.